Knockdown receptacle.



S. E. WINSHIP.

KNOCKDOWN RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATmN FILED ocT. x2, 1915.

Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lI INVENTOR A'ToRNEYs WITNESSES S. E. WINSHIP.

KNOCKDOWN BECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION man oc.12. 1915.

I L81 ,977., rammed July 3, 191.7o

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS I STEPHEN E. TTINSHl'P, OF TMALDEN,

lVIASSACHU-SETTS,

ASSGNOR TO H. C. FABER it SON COMPANY, 0F UTICs, NEW YGRK, A CGRDRATION.

KNOCKDOWN RECEPTACLE.

Application filed October 12, 1915.

Be it known that l, STEPHEN E. TVVINsHIr, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Knockdown Receptacles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My present invention relates to knockdown receptacles such as trunks, cases and the like used, when erected, for shipping various articles and which are adapted to be readily knocked down, when empty, for convenience in handling or economy of room or to effect a saving in freight or express, when shipped.

rlfhe purpose of my present invention is to provide an improved article of the class described and one which is simple and strong in construction and readily assembled or knocked down.

A further purpose is to provide a knockdown receptacle of novel construction in the way in which it folds and packs together and in the way in which it is held extended, when erected.

Further objects of my invention are to provide an article of the class described so constructed that the means for fastening the top and bottom to the body of the receptacle,.when erected, may be also utilized to hold the parts of the receptacle together, when in knockdown condition.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a receptacle of the class described, wherein the parts are so arranged and so cooperate with each other that the. receptacle when erected, is very strong and rigid, and when knocked down and folded together, is very compact; and furthermore, vto provide a construction wherein when the parts are folded together, the folding parts are entirely inclosed within the rigid flanged top and bottom whereby injury to the folding parts of the receptacle is prevented.

Further purposes and objects of my in vention will appear from the description Specification of Letters Patent.

Parenteel any s, ieri'. Serial No. 55,410.

thereof and the after set forth. j

Figure l is a perspectiif'e View of a knockdown receptacle embodying my invention, the said receptacle being illustrated in erected or set up condition.

2 is a aerspective view of the top of .said receptacle and 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of said receptacle.

Fig. 4l: is a perspective view of the body portion or rigid sides and folding ends of said receptacle, with the ends folded part way in as when the receptacle is being erected or knocked down.

l? ig. 5 is a perspective view of the receptacle in fully knocked down conditioinshowing the top and bottom entirely inclosing and concealing the body of the receptacle'.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one end of the bottom or an inverted plan view of one end of the top.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description, the body of the receptacle consists of a rigid front side l0 and a rigid rear side ll and two ends 12. The ends 12 are composed of two vertically disposed sections l2*l and 12b, which are hinged to each other along` their adjacent ends to fold inwardly. Such inward folding` is suggested in Fig. il, but it will be understood, of corse, that by continuing said folding in an obvious manner sections 1Q and 12b of the respective ends l2 can be folded over upon each other or so that their exterior surfaces will be flat against each other. The forward and rearward vertical edges of the ends l2 are hingedly secured to the adjacent vertical end edges of the front side l0 and rear side il as by interiorly arranged hinges lll. The rigid bottom 15 is of any desired construction to obtain the desired strength, but is of such size as to have the lower edges of the bodv of the receptacle rest upon the bottom l5. The bottom is provided about all of its four sides with rigid upwardly extending flanges 16 adapted to fit snugly against the adjacent exterior surface of the parts of the body when the body is extended and set into the bottom l5. Preferably the corners of the bottom will be reinforced with three-sided corner plates 1.7 as indicated in the drawings,

claims thereupon herein- Upon the interior of the bottom 15 near each end thereof and rigidly secured thereto is an upstanding cleat 18, spaced along its length a. short distance from the upstande ing flange 16 at its end of the bottom so as to leave a long recess or pocket 19 between the cleat 18 and the adjacent flange 16. The width ofthis recess or pocket 19 is just sufcient to closely receive thereinto the lower edge of the end 12. It will be obvious that the flange 16 will prevent the said end or either of its sections from springing outward and that the cleat 18 will prevent the sections of the end from folding inward as long as the said sections remain in the recess 19. 'Y

The opposite ends of the cleat 18 will be spaced from the front and rear lianges 16 of the bottom 15 a sufficient distance to allow the lower edges of the front and rear sides 10 and 11 to rest directly down upon the bottom 1 5 and preferably the space or pocket 20 between the ends of cleat 18 and the front and rear flanges 16 will be equal to the thicl ness of the lower edge of the front and rear sides to be received therein, thus bracing the front and rear sides at each of their corners and generally adding to the strength and rigidity of each of the corners of the receptacle. The rigid top 21 is of the same construction in all respects as the bottom 15 as far as herein above described, except of course that the flanges 22 about thefour sides of the top and the interiorly arranged cleats 18 extend downward from the top and engage the upper edges of the body of the receptacle.

It will now be obvious that the receptacle may be set up or erected by unfolding the body of the receptacle until the two sections of each of its ends are in alinement with each other and then placing the body of the receptacle down into the bottom 15, with the lower edges of said body resting directly upon the bottom 15 and with the end sections 12a and 12b of each end 12 held in alinement with each other through being engaged on opposite sides by the interior cleats 18 and end flanges 16 upon the bottom 15 as heretofore described. The top 21 will be placed directly down upon the upper edges of the parts of the body portion and the upper edges of the ends 12 will be engaged and held in alinement in a similar manner by the end flanges 22 of the top and the downwardly extending cleats 18 upon the Vinner surface of the top.

In order to detachably hold together the receptacle as so assembled there are provided upstanding from the front and rear flanges 16 of the bottom two or more eyes 23 and outwardly projecting from the front and rear sides 10 and 11 eyes 24 so positioned as to be in alinement with but offset from the eyes 23 upon the bottom so that thro-ugh two series of eyes is placed a rod 25 which in an obvious manner will operate to securely but detachably connect the parts from whicl project said two series of eyes.

Downwardly projecting from the front and rear flanges 22 of the top 21 are provided eyes 26, while from the upper portion of the front and rear sides 10 Vand 11 project eyes 27 so placed as to be in alinement with but offset from the eyes 26 so that another rod 25 may be placed through said twoV alined series of eyes, thus in an obvious manner securely but detachably securing together the top 21 and the sides of the receptacle and thereby the body of the receptacle as a whole.

As long as the rods 25 remain through the said several coperating sets of eyes, it will be obvious thatV the'parts of the receptacle can not become disconnected from each other, nor can the sections of the ends swing inward nor` outward. The rods 25 may be conveniently retained in operative position against accidental displacement through one end on each of said rods being bent, forming an odset 28, which may be turned down into a recess 29 provided in proper position upon c the adacent flange of the top or bottom The offset 28, may, if desired, be retained in said recess by a tack or screw 80, but in practice this is not usually necessary. The offset portion28 also serves as a handle for conveniently placing the rod in place or removing it from the eyes.

In order that the fastening together of adjacent parts by means of the rod going through the said alined sets of eyes may further add to the rigidity of the receptacle as a whole and prevent any looseness or play between the parts immediately connected, I prefer to form the said eyes as projections from and preferably integral projections from metallic plates 31 or 32 rigidly'secured to the parts of the receptacle in any desired way as by tacks, nails or rivets 38. In order to still further attain the advantages above named, I prefer that said metallic plates 31 and 82 shall have their eyes closely lit or interengage eachother as by the plates 32 having a single eye fit in between two eyes upon the plate 31 after the manner of a hinge. In factit will be obvious that any two coperating series of eyes connected by a rod 25 will serve as a hinge,vpivotally connecting either the front or rear edge of the top or bottom to the body of the receptacle and being operative to allow said top orbottom to be swung away from the body of the receptacle when the rod 25 upon the other edge of the top or bottom is removed from its eyes. In fact, this feature of being able to open upon a hinge either edge of the top Vor bottom without disturbing the security of the other fasteners or'the rigidity of the receptacle as a whole one 0f the advantages Of my nvention. It will be understood that the flanges 1G upon the bottom and the. flanges 22 upon the top are not of a sufficient depth to interfere with said hinging action of the top or bottom. The top or the bottom is entirely removed from the body of the receptacle by withdrawing from their position the two rods 25, which engage the eyes of said top or bottom. lt will be evident that as long as either the top or bottom are in place upon the 'body of the receptacle, the receptacle will be held in extended position.

Vfhen it is desired to place the receptacle in knockdown condition, the rods 25 not already removed from their eyes are removed and the top lifted from the body and then the body from the bottom, whereupon the body may be folded fiat by pushing the ends inwardly and moving the front and rear sides 10 and 11 toward each other until the said body is folded fiat together into compact form. Then the body of the receptacle so folded is laid flatwise into the bottom and the top placed thereover, it being understood that the height of the front and rear sides 10 and 11 is not greater than the width of the top and bottom 21 and 15. `When the receptacle has thus been placed into fully knookdown position, it is held thus folded together by means of a rod 25 at the meeting front and rear edges of the top and bottom being placed through the eyes upon the fianges of the bottom 15 and through the now alined and offset eyes 26 of the top 21. This may be done through the eyes 23 upon the bottom l5 being of such form and so placed on said bottom as to be in the same relative position to the eyes 26 upon the top 21 as are the eyes 27 along the upper edge of the vfront and rear sides 10 and 11. In other words, single eyes 23 upon the bottom 15 cooperate with double eyes 24 upon the lower edge of the body of the receptacle and also cooperate with double eyes upon the flanges of the top 21. When thus assembled in knockdown condition the bent portions 28 upon the rods 25 may be swung over into the recesses 29 as hereinbefore described. Of the four rods 25 used when the receptacle is in extended position, only two will be needed when the receptacle is in knockdown condition, the other two rods may be placed within the receptacle or stored or shipped separately as most convenient.

A further preferred form of construction is to provide upon one of the flanged rigid members; namely, the top or the bottom, an extension 3st upon the flanges of said portion and providing upon the flanges of the other portion oppositely disposed recesses 36, into which the said projections 34 may fit. As illustrated in the drawings, the projections 84 are provided upon the end flanges 16 of the bottom 15, affording almost square shoul ders 35 at either end of the projections; while the recesses are oppositely located in the end flanges 22 of the top 21, providing almost straight shoulders 37, which fit against the opposite shoulders 35 of the bottom when the receptacle is knocked down, as plainly indicated in F ig. 5. inasmuch as the eyes 23 and 26 keep the top and bottom from coming entirely together when the receptacle is knocked down as shown in F ig. 5, there will be a small space between the flanges of the top and bottom. rlhis small space is substantially filled at the front and rear by the rods 25 extending through the eyes, while the engagement of said eyes and the rod hold the front and rear flanges firmly together. The projection 34 is enough higher than the depth of said reccsses 36 so that the top of the projection 2st rests firmly against the bottom of recess 3G when the receptacle is knocked down and the end shoulders 35 and 37 engage each other, thus oif'ercoming any looseness or spring in the parts.

lt will be obvious that modifications may be made from the form of my invention as herein described without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the claims in this application.

lWhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a knockdown receptacle, the combination of rigid front and rear sides, ends hinged at their front and rear edges to the end edges of the sides and composed of two vertically disposed sections hinged to each other at their adjacent edges and adapted to fold inwardly between the sides, a removable rigid top and a removable rigid bottom adapted to rest upon the top and bottom edges of the body of the erected receptacle and provided with flanges overlapping said body on all four sides, interior cleats on the top and bottom spaced from the end flanges and adapted to keep the erected ends eX- tended and means for detachably and separately securing the opposite sides of the top and bottom to the adjacent parts of the rigid front and rear sides of the erected receptacle.

2. ln a knockdown receptacle, the` combination of rigid front and rear sides, ends hinged at their front and rear edges to the end edges of the sides and composed of two vertically disposed sections hinged to each other at their adjacent edges and adapted to fold inwardly between the sides, a removable rigid top and a removable rigid bottom adapted to rest upon the top and bottom edges of the body of the erected receptacle and provided with flanges overlapping said body on all four sides, interior cleats on the top and bottom spaced from the end flanges and adapted to keep the erected ends extended, the ends of said cleats also bracing the 'front and rear sides, and means for detachably and separately securing the opposite sides of the top and bottom to the adjacent parts of the rigid front and rear sides of the erected receptacle.

3. In a knockdown receptacle, the combination of rigid front and rear sides, ends hinged at their front and rear edges to the end edges of the sides and composed of two vertically disposed sections hinged to each other at their adjacent edges and adapted to fold inwardly between the sides, a removable rigid top and a removable rigid bottom adapted to rest upon the top and bottom edges of the body of the erected receptacle and provided with flanges overlapping said body on all four sides, interior cleats on the top and bottom spaced from the end ilanges and adapted to keep the erected ends eXtended and means for detachably and separately securing the opposite sides of the top and bottom to the adjacent parts of the rigid front and rear sides of the erected receptacle and for detachably securing the top and bottom to each other when the receptacle is knocked down, the body of said receptacle when knocked down and laid flat being entirely inclosed within the flanged top and bottom.

4. In a knockdown receptacle, the combi- A nation of rigid front and rear sides, ends hinged at their front and rear edges to the end edges of the sides 'and composed of two vertically disposed sections hinged to each -other at their adjacent edges and adapted to fold inwardly between the sides, a removable rigid top and a removable rigidbottom adapted to rest upon the top and bottom edges of the body of the erected receptacle and provided with anges overlapping said body on all four sides, interior cleats on the top and bottom spaced from the end flanges and adapted to keep the erected end extended, the body of said receptacle when knocked down andlaid flat between the flanged top and bottom being entirely inclosed thereby, projecting eyes along the side flanges of the top and bottom, projecting eyes near the top and bottom of the rigid front and rear sides and in alinement with said top and bottom eyes and rods removably inserted through said alined series of eyes when the receptacle isV erected, said top and bottom eyes being in alinement with each other when the receptacle is knocked down and adapted to receive therethrough removable rods whereby the top and bottom are detachabl7 secured together.

In witness whereof I have affixed my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of October, V1915.

STEPHEN E. VINSHIP.

Witnesses: Y

HARRIET IIILLIAMS,v j HELEN E. OLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

